| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 17/04/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 30 |
| Copyright: Other |
British Midland looks at major network changes
Star Alliance has welcomed Singapore Airlines into the group and is preparing for British Midland to join. Paul Norris reports
BRITISH Midland is planning a dramatic shake-up of its network this summer following its decision to join Star Alliance.Heathrow’s second biggest carrier is to drop or scale down services to European airports which Star Alliance considers to be less important. It will instead build up services to major European airports from Heathrow.
The carrier is the 13th airline to become part of the alliance, which it joins on July 1. Its main role will be to utilise Heathrow as a connecting airport for its partners. The process of switching to other hubs starts on May 2 when Heathrow flights to Prague and Warsaw are axed to make way for services to Rome, Milan and Madrid.
Group managing director Austin Reid said: “On May 2 we start a European joint venture. An agreed new strategy for us within Star.
“We will be developing a strong hub strategy at Heathrow. We will be the anchor for London.”
He did not say which other British Midland routes will be dropped but did say that the strategy would continue to be implemented this winter and to a larger extent in summer 2001.
Services thought unlikely to continue include less important flights to Germany and Budapest. Replacement Heathrow services will start to destinations including Barcelona, Athens, Istanbul, Zurich and Geneva.
British Midland will fly passengers on Star Alliance partners such as United Airlines, Varig, Singapore Airlines and All Nippon Airways from Heathrow around Europe.
Reid added that he expected the airline to get transatlantic route licences from the UK and US governments this year. The airline will co-operate with United on routes to Washington and Chicago. If the licences are stalled, Reid said he had a standby plan to fly to non-US long-haul routes with Airbus A330s arriving next year.
Alternative destinations are in the Middle East and Africa, regions where Star Alliance does not have a member airline.
All change: British Midland will boost services to major European hubs